Imagine if he had been seen by someone who lost a loved one to a suicide bomber in Iraq or Israel.
Being the political person that I am, I think that an effort should be made to publicize this and hang it around Ed Rendell's neck. Swann could use some help.
Put in that context, Miss Marple, it was in poor taste. Seeing my friend in it, and not considering its potential impact on anyone else, was funny to me because he's the last person who'd be considered a sympathizer.
When my son ships to Iraq next year, it will be far less amusing to me, but I still understand that the motivation was to ridicule.